Like their counterparts in Northern Ireland, RNLI lifeboat teams across Ireland are looking for new fundraising volunteers to join their lifesaving crews.
In Dublin, Caroline Gibson is the secretary of the Dun Laoghaire RNLI fundraising branch, having first got involved two years ago when she returned home from England.
“My good friend Jenny Needham, who I have known since I was 14 and has been involved with Dun Laoghaire RNLI for years in various roles including as crew member and deputy launching authority, was the person who encouraged me to get involved,” Caroline says.
“When I returned home from Brighton in 2021 after 16 years away, I wanted to get involved in something local and found that I was attending my first fundraising meeting within a few months.
“I remember someone asking at that meeting if there was anyone willing to takes notes. I had a pen in my hand and waved and I have been the secretary ever since!”
Owning a boat herself, Caroline says she and her husband have a deep respect for the work of the RNLI. She finds her involvement with fundraising a rewarding way to contribute.
“At the end of an event, I get satisfaction from counting the money and seeing what we have been able to raise,” she says. “I also get the opportunity to work with a genuinely passionate group of people, some of whom are old hats and have great experience in running such well organised and planned events.
“As a boat owner, I have always had a deep respect for the RNLI and all that the volunteer crew do. I know from Jenny the level of commitment involved on a weekly basis between training and calls outs and I know they do it because they really want to.”
To find out more about how you can sign up to be a fundraising volunteer at one of the RNLI’s branches throughout Ireland, or to apply, visit rnli.org/OneCrewVolunteers.
